


I Didn't Know I Was Lonely Til I Saw Your Face

by parallelanprincess



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Big Bang Challenge, Blow Jobs, Coming of Age, Dirty Talk, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Male Friendship, Mutual Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Nipple Licking, Past Yuuri/Male OC, Phone Sex, The Not Victuuri Bang, Viktor Doesn't Exist AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-30 03:18:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18307103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parallelanprincess/pseuds/parallelanprincess
Summary: Since he was a child, Yuuri Katsuki has admired renowned figure skater Christophe Giacometti and wanted to follow in his footsteps. At the age of eighteen, Yuuri has left the sleepy town of Hasetsu for a full ride at the University of Toronto and one year of training under the legendary Nathalie Leroy. Yuuri’s new life includes his stoic roommate Seung-gil, a teenage math prodigy with an affinity for sweets, and JJ,his younger rinkmate who views Yuuri as the big brother he always wanted. A chance encounter at a competition leads to him forming a sexual relationship with Chris that slowly blossoms into something more. As Yuuri learns to find meaning in his skating, Chris learns that he is more than his public persona of sex symbol.Featuring art by OmTivi





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *bursts in like the Koolaid man*
> 
> WHAT'S UP BITCHES
> 
>  
> 
> Hi, it's Para. Back at it again coming outta Yandere Simulator hell to drop a longfic outta nowhere. So here's my firs ever bangfic. This was a saga. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears poured into ti. While I did do the writing I really couldn't have done it without the help and support of a literal community of fandom friends backing me up and listening to me bitch. 
> 
> (We'll be adding the art for this fic a little later so don't worry. Shoutout to me artists Gia and OmTivi for working so hard) 
> 
> So it's Oscar speech time and now I list off who I wanna thank and why:
> 
> Francowitch, aka the realest. For being my beta, my editor, for fucking cowriting all the fucking. For keep track of continuity and genuienly being my rock. You deserve the best and you're one of the greatest ppl I've ever met.
> 
> Squeeze, for giving me this opportunity and not letting me drop out five thousand times. For extending the deadline and beta reading at the eleventh hour
> 
> GeekMom13 aka My Baby Mama aka Bad Bitch Number One,for holding my hand and listening to me whine and betareading. For being the best MILF in the YOI fandom.
> 
> Kateli and DiamondWinters for being two of the first ppl to see any version of this and for providing valuable insight in the first few weeks. I love you both 
> 
> My cousin Juice, for listening to me talk about this when she didn't know what the fuck I was taling about but still being supportive
> 
> For the entire Vol-Tron server for listening to me bitch for the last few months and always supporting me when I think I can't write for shit .
> 
> So
> 
> This is my baby. I will admit. It aint perfect, she gotta lot of flaws but I did my best goddamn it. The chapters aren't very long but that's just how I roll
> 
> Please comment and kudos

The facts were these, at the tender age of thirteen Yuuri Katsuki fell in love at first sight.

He was sitting in the employee break room at Ice Castle Hasetsu watching the Junior Figure Skating World Championships with his best friend Yuuko. The top contender that year was Christophe Giacometti, a skater from Switzerland who was known for his spins. Yuuri listened to Yuuko gush about how he was the best skater in the world and so cute and his hair was so fluffy looking. Yuuri had never seen him before as he usually avoided watching competitions in the junior circuit. He didn’t have to compare himself to his more talented peers if he avoided the broadcasts.

Chris stepped on the ice wearing a outfit that reminded Yuuri of his favorite animated films. He was captivated as Chris began skating his short program to the instrumental of a song that told what happened when you wished upon a star. He moved in a way that Yuuri had never seen before, Chris lost himself in the music as he glided across the ice.

“He’s amazing isn’t he?” Yuuko asked once the performance ended.

“He’s beautiful,” Yuuri replied. He hoped that Yuuko was so focused on listening to the results that she didn’t notice him blushing. There were cute boys at their school like Watanabe and Yoshida but they seemed so plain in comparison. Those blonde curls made Chris seem so much more foreign and exotic than the boys Yuuri usually had crushes on.

The following day Yuuri and Yuuko gathered in his family’s inn to watch the free programs. Yuuri tried not show his impatience as he waited for Chris’ turn. Georgi Popovich was the last person to go before Chris. Yuuri was impressed by his jump techniques and sharp eyeliner. Yuuri recognized his music from _The Nutcracker_ , the ballet that his dancing instructor had insisted on giving Yuuri the lead role. Georgi was wearing an extravagant outfit covered in floral patterns as he skated.

“He looked like he fell into a flower bed,” Yuuko said. Georgi’s performance put him solidly in the lead. Chris was going to have work hard in order to beat him.

Yuuri held his breath as the cameras in the rink turned to Chris. The Swiss skater was wearing a dark red robe that effectively hid his costume from view. Yuuri wondered if his crush was bold enough to skate naked. Yuuri’s prayers were answered when Chris removed the robe with a dramatic flourish. He was wearing an all black two piece sailor uniform that left nothing to the imagination.

“Is he wearing leather pants? Oh, this is going to be great, Yuuri. I can feel it.”

Yuuri stared at the screen in awe as Chris began skating to a Pussycat Dolls song. The music described Chris’ desire to grow up to be famous and admired. The innocent,shy boy from the previous day was gone,replaced by a young man full of sexual energy and bravado. Yuuri couldn’t decide which persona he liked best.

“This is better than when Plushenko skated to _Sex Bomb_!” Yuuko fawned. Thank goodness his father had set the television to record every moment of Chris’ spins and hip thrusts. When the program ended, Yuuri was panting as hard as the skater on screen. The room suddenly felt hotter and his pants seemed to have shrunk several sizes.

“I-I have to go to the bathroom!” Yuuri ran off ignoring Yuuko’s demands he wait to see the score. When Yuuri returned from relieving his hormonal urges, he found Yuuko pouting with the television turned off.

“Those judges are idiots. They scored Chris so low that he won’t even make the podium. The announcers were talking about how inappropriate it was. Last year Sara Crispino dressed like a hooker and no one said anything,” Yuuko said.

“Are you sure you aren’t mad that you can’t beat her?”

“That’s not the point! Yuuri, you’re supposed to say I’m the greatest skater who ever lived. And the prettiest.” Yuuko threw a pillow at him.

Yuuri retaliated by dumping the bowl of popcorn on her head. The living room was a warzone by the time Mari shouted at them to stop making noise and start cleaning up before their parents got home.

Yuuri diligently followed the careers of Georgi and Chris moving forward. Georgi was the person to beat in the juniors circuit. His ability to convey raw emotion was unparalleled. Russians always dominated figure skating. Minako was impressed by Yuuri’s renewed determination. He began pulling inspiration from ballet more heavily to help improve his step sequence.

Aside from beating Georgi, Yuuri longed to capture Chris’ attention. He wished to draw the Swiss skater to him without being too obvious. Yuuri joined Chris’ unofficial fanclub message board under a pseudonym to chat with his fellow admirers. He was a proud member of the Giacometti Rose Garden even if he kept it a secret. As the years passed posters of both his rival and crush dominated his bedroom walls.

Chris and Georgi ended up having their senior debuts at the same time. Yuuri watched in awe as for the first time in history the Grand Prix Final judges board was forced to award two gold medals after they tied with the exact same number of points. If Yuuri hoped to keep up with them he was going to have to make some drastic changes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooooo
> 
> posting this is gonna take forever.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter takes place a few years after the first. Yaaaay timeskips

“You sure you’ll be alright in Canada all by yourself?” Mari asked him. They were in his bedroom packing up the last of Yuuri’s belongings as it would be his last night in Japan. He was preparing to leave his family and hometown with no idea of when he would return. As much as he loved Hasetsu Yuuri knew that his chances of improving his skating depended on more intense training. Minako was a godsend and the local coaches did their best, but he knew it wasn’t enough.

“I won’t be completely alone. There will be other skaters and I’ll have a roommate while I live on campus,” Yuuri said, he continued folding his shirt for what felt like the tenth time.

“Toronto’s pretty far to go just so you can skate. Then again, what do I know? You did manage to get into university on a full ride scholarship.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mari. I didn’t do it on my own. You helped a lot. Although, you never explained when and how you learned French. Or what you told that immigration officer to make him approve my visa.”

Mari lit a cigarette and stared out the window. He was going to miss her. His cranky big sister who always looked out for him. He didn’t want her to feel trapped at the onsen for the rest of her life. Yuuri planned to return one day and revitalize Hasetsu. Somehow.

“You don’t know a lot of things about me, little brother.”

“I’m going to miss you.”

“You better.”

***

The Toronto Pearson International Airport was the most overwhelming experience. It was swarming with sights and smells that were completely foreign to him. As he tried his best not to be trampled by businessmen and tour groups he eventually made his way to baggage claim. He had only bought the bare essentials. Clothes, figure skating gear, and a framed picture of his family and friends.

Yuuri was supposed to meet his new coaches at one of the three Tim Hortons in the terminal. Nathalie and Alain Leroy were a former Olympic ice dancing couple that had spent the last decade coaching Canada’s best. They were notorious for only taking in a handful of students every few years and only offering their service once one of their skaters retired. Luckily, Emil Nekola chose to prematurely end his ice skating career in favor of pursuing extreme sports. Yuuri managed to catch the Leroys’ attention after winning gold at the Four Continents during his senior debut. He was offered a greatly reduced rate for coaching fees and an exchange student scholarship. With the family onsen pulling in less money with each passing year, Yuuri decided to take what might be the last chance to pursue his goals.

“Yuuri, over here! It’s JJ! Turn around!” Yuuri heard a voice call out to him.

Yuuri was being greeted by the Leroy’s fourteen year old son, Jean-Jacques who preferred to go by JJ. The first thing Yuuri noticed about JJ was how he was jumping up and shouting with complete ignorance to the people glaring at him. JJ practically pushed several people out of the way in order to get to him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jean-Jacques,” Yuuri said. He held out his hand. JJ opted to engulf him in a bear hug. Yuuri was surprised that despite being four years younger, JJ was taller than him. He awkwardly found himself being pressed into JJ’s neck.

“Jean-Jacques, that’s enough. Give him some space.”

Yuuri was rescued by JJ’s mother Nathalie, the self proclaimed Mother Bear of Canada. She was known for treating her skaters as if they were her own children. Whether this was a good thing depended on who you asked. Presently Yuuri was happy that she convinced JJ to stop hanging on his neck.

“Welcome to Canada, Yuuri. I’m Mrs. Leroy. I see you’ve already met JJ. My husband is waiting in the car outside. We can drop you off at your dorm room if you like. Or if you prefer, we’d be more than happy to house you for the night and take you over to the university tomorrow. ”

Yuuri considered his options. He had chosen to pursue a degree in kinesiology at the University of Toronto. Classes didn’t start for another week yet Yuuri was anxious to start living an authentic college experience. As eager as Yuuri was, he was also extremely exhausted. It was already getting late and if he went straight to his dorm, he wouldn’t bother unpacking for the first few days. A night at the Leroys might be beneficial after a twenty four hour nonstop flight.

“I would be honored to stay with your family for the night, Mrs. Leroy.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK  
> So I deaged JJ and Seung. Because when I realized Yuuri being 18 just completely and utterly jacks up the timeline, everyone else had to be a good 4-5 years younger. So JJ and Seung are two teens who will be in a relationship. There's no age gaps here. Nothin' to see here....move along.

The following morning, the Leroys helped Yuuri move into his dorm room. More accurately JJ rummaged through Yuuri’s things while his mother lectured him about personal space and respecting Yuuri’s privacy. Yuuri never had a younger sibling so he wasn’t sure how to react to JJ’s fascination with him. JJ was constantly asking him questions about life in Japan and his personal life. Yuuri was probably the most boring competitor in the men’s division.

“Careful Yuuri, it would be a shame to throw your back out before your first competition. The Golden Star Invitational is in three months and I fully expect you to have your routine perfected by then,” Nathalie said as Yuuri dragged in the luggage containing his ice skates.

Nathalie had taken excellent care of him while he stayed in their home. She was kind enough to help him navigate the insane world of online shopping to get his school books. Not to mention taking him to a bank to open an account for his scholarship money and future competition winnings. Questioning her coaching methods would come across as rude and ungrateful.

“We have to get you back on the ice as soon as possible. You need to witness first hand what you’re up against. You’re in the Great White North now. Things are a lot different here.”

Nathalie was a lot different from Minako and the revolving cast of coaches he had in Japan. Minako was motherly, more of an aunt than a ballet instructor. The few coaches that bothered to work in the surrounding towns never seemed to take much interest in Yuuri. He was too timid and anxious for their liking. His skating was inconsistent. The only thing that stood out were his step sequences and his spins. Yuuri’s parents were barely able to pay coaching fees so his coaches came and went depending on how much money the onsen managed to make. Being the last onsen standing proved to be profitable enough that Yuuri was able to afford a one way ticket to Canada.

“I will do my best, ma’am,” Yuuri said. It was all he could offer. He wanted to say something more but was stopped when he heard the door open.

An Asian boy around JJ’s age stood in the doorway. He looked at Yuuri and the Leroys before promptly turning around and slamming the door shut behind him.

“That’ll be your roommate, then” Alain said by way of explanation. “Seung-gil Lee, some kind of kid genius from South Korea.”

“He’s in college? He looks the same age as me! He’s cute though,” JJ said.

***  
Seung-gil made himself scarce over the next few weeks. Yuuri mostly on saw him at night when he was getting ready for bed. The fifteen year old wasn’t very talkative which made things awkward at the best of times. From what little information Yuuri was able to extract from the tight lipped Korean was that he was an honors students pursuing a degree in applied mathematics. Seng-gil had an aunt who lived nearby who he visited on the weekend. Occasionally she gave Seung-gil baked goods to share with Yuuri.

Yuuri was pouring over his anatomy book when Seung-gil walked into their dorm room with a plastic container. A quick glance at his alarm clock showed it was well past midnight. Yuuri wasn’t entirely convinced that his roommate wasn’t a vampire.

“Aunt Eun-jin made these. Bungeoppang,” Seung-gil said. He placed the container on Yuuri’s night stand next to a picture of Yuuko holding her newly born triplets.

“Thanks. Uh, what are these?” Yuuri asked.

“Delicious,” Seung-gil replied with a smirk. He disappeared into the bathroom. Yuuri opened the container to find a dozen fish shaped pastries. They reminded him a lot of the taiyaki Mari used to make for him when he came home from practice. The main difference was that these pastries weren’t slightly burnt and misshapen.

By the time Yuuri had eaten half of them Seung-gil had changed into his pajamas and was crawling into bed.

“Good?” Seung-gil asked, his face turned towards the wall.

“They were great. Thank you.”

“Okay.”

Yuuri finished up his extensive amount of homework as Seung-gil started snoring. He was pretty loud for a boy whose voice barely rose above a whisper.

While Seung-gil made himself scarce, JJ seemed determined to move into Yuuri’s dorm room. The Canadian teenager made a habit of following Yuuri home after practice. His favorite thing to do was lying down in Yuuri’s bed and flip through his textbooks.

“Yuuri, let’s watch anime and order a pizza,” JJ whined.

“Both of us are on diets. Didn’t your dad say you needed to work on your math homework? Your parents aren’t going to let you keep competing if your grades drop,” Yuuri said.

Alain held Yuuri to the same high standards. Both Yuuri and JJ needed to prove they could balance school and skating. Yuuri rejected an offer to join the university’s varsity figure skating team as he didn’t think he could deal with the double strain of being a student athlete and a professional career. It didn’t stop the university coaches from emailing him about tryouts. Most of the students who majored in kinesiology were athletes of some kind and participated on the school’s official teams. Yuuri was a bit of an outlier.

“Algebra is completely useless All I need to know is how to calculate how many points my programs can earn. Stuff like solving for x doesn’t even apply to us,” JJ said.

“The fact that you aren’t aware of how much math goes into skating is very concerning. Get out of my dresser.”

“Oh, I found some condoms! Yuuri, do you have a boyfriend? How come you get to date before I do? That’s so unfair!”

“The school gives them out for fr--Stay out of my things!” Yuuri said. JJ was already blowing into the condoms and making balloon animals.

“Eww, this one tastes like cherries. Can I eat this?”

"Please don’t eat my condoms.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a very obscure reference in this. If you can spot it then you are an absolute GOAT. Thanks again to francowitch for help with the Canadian French. She is also GOAT. Also I love writing Nathalie because we see so little of her in canon, I just went wild. Fight me.

With two weeks left until the Golden Star Invitational, Yuuri had yet to find his muse. His short program was a holdover from his junior years that was adjusted to have a higher difficulty. His long program had been choreographed by Alain set to a score lifted from some French film that Yuuri didn’t recognize but the judges were sure to favor. Going through the motions could only carry him so far. Golden Star was merely a practice run, a chance for Yuuri to see he well he handled the transition into the senior division. Yuuri was doing his warmups when Nathalie called him over to rinkside.

“ _Osti de tabarnak de câlice, c'est pas possible comment que t'es cave_. Katsuki, what are you doing out there?” Nathalie asked as she motioned for him to skate towards her.

“Warm ups. Was I doing them wrong? I can start over if you want-” Yuuri asked.

“Where is your passion? Your drive? You look as if you’re sleepwalking,” Nathalie said.

Yuuri avoided her gaze. He couldn’t use the excuse that he stayed up late studying. He went to bed shortly after Nathalie came to collect JJ the night before. The programs the Leroys planned for him were guaranteed to grant him high scores. Yuuri was more than capable of meeting their expectations. His only problem was that he had trouble connecting to what he was skating.

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m missing something. Please, be patient with me. I’ll...do better,” he finished lamely.

“Why do you skate?”

“To win?”

“Are you asking me or telling me? If you flew half across the world for a medal, that’s fine. Commit to it. But if you’re standing on my ice with no clue of how you got there then you need to reevaluate what brought you here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”  
****

The sight of JJ lying in a sleeping bag on his dorm room was a sign of how strange Yuuri’s life had become since leaving Japan. The Canadian teenager was determined to help him find his inspiration. JJ wasn’t going to leave him alone until then. The whole thing felt like babysitting in Yuuri’s mind. At least JJ left the twins back at his parent’s house. Cedric and Celeste were too young to be wandering around a college campus at night.

Seung-gil tolerated JJ’s presence. They shared the same interests that most younger teenagers did as he was only a few months older than JJ. In another world they could have been classmates as Seung-gil had graduated from JJ’s high school only a year prior. Seung-gil was nice enough to help JJ with his math homework since he was familiar with the instructor’s teaching style and grading system. Seung-gil must not have felt like playing tutor as he’d gone to spend the weekend at his aunt’s. Meanwhile JJ crawled around on their floor like a caterpillar.

An episode of _Tachibana: Part Time Ninja_ played on his laptop as Yuuri tried to find his motivation. The anime was more for JJ’s sake, the bright colors kept him from making suggestions about Yuuri’s future.

“You need a theme song like they have in this show,” JJ said. “An anthem about how awesome you are.”

Well so much for that plan.

“I’m not awesome. I’m a run of the mill skater who got lucky. At the rate I’m going, I won’t make it through this season. Your mother is going to kill me,”

In five days he was going to be on a flight to Geneva. His first outing after making the most important decision of his life. He knew he wasn’t ready. How could he when he didn’t feel as if he deserved to be there in the first place? His only hope was that he didn’t fall after coming off a jump or trip during his skate sequence. The bare minimum was all people expected anyway.

“ _Maman_ , won’t kill you. You’re her favorite. She always talks about how smart you are and how well you’re doing. She brought you here because you’re awesome. I don’t know why you can’t see it.”

“What are you talking about? She yells at me every practice. I never see her pulling Klaus or Adeline aside. Everyone at the rink knows I’m the weak link.”

“You think _Maman_ would let me stay with Klaus or Adeline? Non. Only Yuuri. Yuuri who works hard, who does his best. She’s hard on you because she knows you give a damn. Or at least I thought you did,” JJ said softly “I still think you need a theme song. I can make you one if you want. We’ll call it ‘Yuuri’s Awesome Song Volume One’, written by Jean-Jacques Philippe Leroy.”

Yuuri laughed despite himself. JJ was like a dog with a bone. It was strange to think that about how much JJ admired him. Almost as strange as Nathalie favoring him over his rinkmates. The Leroys obviously cared for him. Disappointing them wouldn’t have felt so bad otherwise. JJ was staring up at him with stars in his eyes. As if a slightly overweight Japanese expatriate with confidence issues was something inspirational.

“Oh right fine. If I take gold at this next competition, you can compose a theme for me. But only if I get a gold medal. Now go to sleep. We have practice in the morning,” Yuuri said.

“Can we go to Tim Hortons? What kind of instruments should we use for your song? I was thinking of a drum solos.”

“Go to sleep, Jean-Jacques.” Yuuri put away his laptop before JJ could protest.

“ _Oyasumi, Yuuri-niichan_.”

Yuuri smiled at JJ’s continued to efforts to speak to him in butchered Japanese. It sounded awful but the boy was trying his best. Maybe Yuuri should learn from him.

 _“Bonne nuit,_ JJ.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In here, Alain gets what may be his only line??? He just didn't speak to me like his wife did. But...he was there...chilling, Also Chris makes his grand entrance and I make a bad joke and I'm not sorry.

It takes an average of ten hours to fly nonstop from Toronto to Geneva. Yuuri spent most of them watching JJ mess around with GarageBand on his MacBook. JJ fully intended to hold Yuuri to his promise. Nathalie was fully enabling this supposed collaboration.

“You need some kind of incentive. The last thing we want is for Jean-Jacques to cry the whole flight back,” Nathalie said as they stepped off the plane.

“If you’re worried about him being too much of a distraction, you’re rooming with Klaus this time around. Now is not the time for slumber parties,” she continued.

Yuuri groaned, there were rumors that Klaus snored even louder than Seung-gil . Hopefully, Klaus would find a fellow skater to occupy his time. Yuuri had no interest in the other competitors. Nothing stressed him out more than concrete evidence that he was least talented skater in the senior division. Nathalie ensured him that Golden Star mostly served as trial run for programs. It wasn’t as dire as Yuuri thought. It wasn’t even going to be televised, only live streamed to few skating websites.

As predicted, Klaus vanished after they settled into their hotel room. Yuuri was left alone with his thoughts. He still didn’t know why he skated. There were the usual reasons: to make his family proud, to bring glory to his country, to prove he wasn’t completely worthless. It wasn’t enough. Not for him. He needed something to be that final push. To let him go that extra mile he needed.

He pulled a pillow over his face and screamed. He couldn’t disappoint anyone if he smothered himself to death before morning.

***  
Yuuri wasn’t used to being fussed over right before going on the ice. Alain was running a brush through Yuuri’s slicked back hair and muttering in French. Nathalie had told Yuuri to wipe his face off no less than four times. His costume had been adjusted, his laces tightened, and his skates inspected.

“Remember, don’t rip your costume. It was expensive. Nathalie and I are very proud of you,” Alain said.

Yuuri took a deep breath as he stepped out on the ice. All he needed to do was get through the next two minutes and fifty seconds. His music had been the main theme of his sister’s favorite movie. A fairy tale about a boy and a girl in search of a floating castle. For his costume, he wore a long sleeved shirt that was mostly white with blue trimming, meant to give the illusion that he was a cloud floating above the ice. Mari cried the first time she saw a picture of him in it. She was happy that he was still thinking of those he left behind.

He wondered what he was searching for. He had nothing to guide him, no hint as to what he wanted out of life. Yuuri was nothing more than a cloud in a sea of endless blue drifting from place to place until he vanished.

The music stopped and the audience applauded. He wasn’t looking for a standing ovation. He only hoped he managed to entertain them. A few gifts were tossed onto the ice. Mostly flowers and a few teddy bears. Yuuri was such a private person that even his most devoted fans had no idea what to get him. He doubted his secret love of Hello Kitty was something his fans wanted to know. Best to stick with roses for now.

He joined Nathalie and Alain at the kiss and cry. Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Nathalie was smiling. He silently sat between them as he waited for his scores to be announced.

“Not your best, but it’s a start,” Nathalie said. “We can work with that.”

Yuuri nodded. He hated looking at his scores. Yuuri’s personal bests were well below was what deemed acceptable in the field. He had no desire to watch the rest of the competitors outperform him.

His coaches excused him to get changed in the locker room. His stomach was tight and his costume was sticking to him. Alain wouldn’t appreciate him covering his tights in sweat and vomit. Yuuri changed back into his tracksuit. He looked into the mirror to make sure that his jacket wasn’t inside out like last time. The sight of the familiar logos and the embroidered Japanese flag made him want to weep.

_Why do you skate?_

“I don’t know,” Yuuri said.

“Oh darling, no one knows anything. We’re all clueless here.”

Christophe Giacometti was standing behind him in a locker room in Geneva. Wearing the colors of the Swiss flag as if they were made for him, Christophe was none too subtly staring at Yuuri’s ass. This was not happening. He must have slipped and banged his head on one of the lockers.

“You’re Christophe Giacometti,” Yuuri stammered.

“How nice of you to notice. And you’re Yuuri Katsuki. Now that introductions are out of the way, care to tell me why you’re standing here looking like your dog died? Judges not give you the score you wanted?” Chris asked leaned against the lockers. As if this was normal. As if he wasn’t the reason Yuuri ever thought about a life away from the onsen and his backwater hometown. Yuuri finally had his undivided attention. Too bad he was going to ruin it the moment he opened his mouth.

“No, it’s not that. I...I get performance anxiety. Why are you here? You’re not competing.”

“Unfortunately not,” Chris said with a dramatic sigh. “I’m taking some time off. I won’t be competing this season. I was considering skipping out on this entirely but my cousin begged me to come. It’s his first real competition. He’s not as good as you, but he tries. Dear God, the boy tries.”

“Thank you. I think. My coaches are waiting. I should go.”

“What’s the rush? A few of us are thinking about going out for drinks once the invitational wraps up. Of course, we can skip that for some one on one time. We can have our own private celebration after you win.”

With a smile and a wink Chris walked out of the locker room leaving a stunned Yuuri in his wake.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The art in this was made by the amazing OmTivi!
> 
>  
> 
> OK
> 
> THE SEX SCENES IN THIS FIC WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF NOT FOR THE TALENT AND PATIENCE OF FRANCOWITCH  
> SERIOUSLY  
> SHE DESERVES ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD
> 
> I did not know what in the name of fuck I was doing and she guided me and helped and honestly cowrote this and all sex related scenes in this fic and I can't thank her enough or show appreciation
> 
> orz
> 
> ilu francowitch

Meeting Chris should have increased Yuuri’s confidence. His idol and longtime crush acknowledged his existence. He was at least partially positive that Chris propositioned him in the locker room. It was like something straight out of his wet dreams. Yuuri was more nervous than ever. Yuuri lay wide awake the night before his long programY trying to convince himself that he wasn’t going to embarrass himself. He failed to derail his thoughts of falling face first into the ice and having Chris avoid him for all eternity.

Yuuri barely paid attention during the warm up session. He literally went through the motions hoping that Nathalie wouldn’t notice how unfocused he was. When he stepped on to the ice for his long program, Yuuri was a mix of emotions. As it stood he was currently in the running for bronze if he managed to do decently. From the center of the rink he scanned the audience to see if he could spot Chris. All he saw was JJ enthusiastically wave a small Japanese flag from the stands.

The music started, Yuuri took a deep breath and began to skate. Why was he doing this? Why was he here? Hundreds of people were watching as he fumbled through his step sequence. He under rotated his jump and came dangerously close to falling. At this rate Yuuri would be lucky to take bronze. When the music stopped, Yuuri took a bow and got off the ice as quickly as he could. He deliberately avoided eye contact with Nathalie as they walked to the kiss and cry.

“Katsuki, I’m not sure what that was but I don’t want to see you skate like that ever again.” Nathalie said as his scores were announced.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to um…..I’m sorry,” Yuuri said weakly.

“I don’t need you to be sorry. I need you to be focused.”

Yuuri merely nodded. Alain gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. They were kind enough to take Yuuri under their wing, yet here he was disappointing them.

The medal presentation wasn’t as bad as he thought. Yuuri did manage to barely scrape by with a bronze medal. Klaus took silver meaning that at least one of them could make the Leroys look like competent coaches.The gold medalist was some Swiss teenager named Linard Pappan, Yuuri didn’t recognize his face but this emerald eyes of his bore a striking resemblance to Chris.

Yuuri was going to lock himself in his room for a few hours before meeting with Chris. He needed to clear his head and take a long shower to wash off his shame.

****

Yuuri didn’t ask Klaus why he had Chris’ room number. Klaus didn’t ask why he needed it. He stood in front of Room 405 wondering if he had finally lost his mind. Chris said he was welcome to visit once the competition wrapped up. That was before Yuuri barely made the podium and scooped up a bronze medal. Third place wasn’t anything to boast about. Chris might very well turn him away.

He took a deep breath and knocked three times. Worst case scenario he’d run back to his room and spend the rest of his life pretending nothing happened.

The door opened to reveal Chris clad in nothing but a purple bathrobe. Yuuri got a good look at his light blond chest hairs and toned abs.

“What a pleasant surprise. The room service is better than I thought. Come in, Yuuri,” Chris said.

Yuuri stepped into the hotel room. The first thing he noticed was how big it was. Chris had far more sponsors than he did so it made sense that he have a nicer room. What didn’t make sense were the rose petals scattered on the bed or the scented candles illuminating the otherwise dark room. All skaters had their quirks, Yuuri felt commenting on it might be rude. He was a guest after all.

Chris ushered Yuuri to sit on the edge of the bed. Yuuri was careful not to crush any of the petals. Chris sat next to him, He resisted the urge to rest his head on Chris’ shoulder. It had been a long, disappointing three days.

“Tired? My feet always feel as if they’re going to fall off after these things. My old coach used to say that if it didn’t hurt, you weren’t doing it right. So I replaced him,” Chris said.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I know finding good coaches can be hard,” Yuuri said.

“Don’t be. You’re not the idiot who couldn’t tell the difference between a triple and a quad. I was impressed when I heard the Leroy team took you on. They’re known to be extremely selective. It’s a testament to how talented you are.”

“I’m not talented.”

Chris gently took one of Yuuri’s hand. He gave it an affectionate squeeze. This time Yuuri did give in to the temptation of leaning against him.

“I beg to differ. I’ve seen the way your body moves. You’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’m happy I finally got to witness it first hand.”

“You were watching me?”

“Yes, and I liked what I saw.” Chris guided Yuuri’s hand to his mouth. Chris gently kissed his knuckles.

“What did you see?” Yuuri asked. He felt exposed under Chris’ intense stare. The Swiss skater was staring directly into his soul. Yuuri hoped he was looking hard enough to find what he needed. To find Yuuri’s motivation to skate.

“I see a handsome young man who won’t be satisfied until he gets what he wants. What do you want Yuuri?”

“When I was younger I wanted...I wanted to be like you.”

“You’re perfectly lovely all on your own. I don’t know why you can’t see that. Do you want me to show you how beautiful you are, Yuuri?”

Yuuri took a deep breath. Here was a perfect opportunity to get what he want. He wasn’t planning on letting it go to waste.

“Show me.”

Chris kissed Yuuri gently on the forehead. He carefully slid the glasses off of Yuuri’s face. Yuuri held back a gasp as Chris gently ran a finger across his lips. Feeling bold Yuuri parted his lips and gently began to suck on it.

“I’ve had dreams about that mouth of yours,” Chris said. He removed his finger, taking his hand to cup to guide Yuuri’s face towards his. The kiss was chaste and short. Yuuri could tell Chris was feeling him out, testing his boundaries. He was nervous about being upfront about his desires. Rejection was a very real possibility. Yuuri wasn’t as handsome or experienced as Chris. Sex was like skating. Yuuri was decent at it but nearly everyone else was far better than him.

“What are you thinking? Do you want to stop?” Chris asked.

“No. I’m not...I want this to be good for you.”

“Sweet Yuuri.” Chris kissed him again. “Bringing you pleasure is satisfaction enough. I’m yours to command. We’ll only go as far as you want to.”

Yuuri felt relieved. Most of his partners were concerned with getting off as quickly as possible. Sitting on a queen size mattress surrounded by candlelight was a far cry from fumbling in the dark on a twin bed in his dorm room. He wasn’t sure how far he was willing to go with Chris. Honestly, it was overwhelming to think Chris wanted him in any capacity. One night with Chris was worth more than a lifetime with someone else.

“Do you have condoms?” Yuuri asked.

“Condoms and lube. I brought a few toys with me if you’re feeling adventurous,” Chris said. Thinking of Chris taking a dildo up his ass was going to fuel Yuuri’s fantasies for the rest of the semester.

“Okay, that’s good. Um, I don’t think we’ll need the toys. Could you, maybe, take your robe off. I want to touch you. Please. You don’t have to!” It came out louder than Yuuri intended. Chris let out that breathy laugh that was coming oh so familiar. The robe fell away to reveal more of that chiseled, hairy chest. Chris was wearing a lace thong that matched the now discarded robe. .

“Does Yuuri like what he sees?”

Chris guided Yuuri’s hand to his pectorals. The muscle was solid, the hair was soft and silky. Yuuri gave it a little squeeze appreciating the pleased hum that Chris let out. 

Yuuri leaned in and gave his nipple a gentle lick. He pulled back to gauge Chris’ reaction.

“Don’t be shy. Tonight’s about taking what you want,” Chris said.

His previous partners weren’t too fond of Yuuri messing around with their chests. Far too many times, his head was nudged towards their crotches instead. He took Chris nipple into his mouth and gave it a hard suck. Chris tasted like vanilla body wash. The scent of his expensive cologne was driving Yuuri crazy. Chris cradled the back of his head, drawing Yuuri impossibly closer to him.

“That’s it, Yuuri. Ah, that feels good. Don’t forget the other one.”

Yuuri moved to the other nipple. He reached down to gently cup Chris’ erection. The older man made such interesting sounds. An arm wrapped around Yuuri’s waist and fingers tangled in his hair were all the assurance he needed.

“You taste delicious. Can you….touch me?” Yuuri asked.

“Of course. Sit up.”

Chris lifted Yuuri’s sweatshirt over his head. He pinched one of Yuuri’s nipples. Yuuri hissed and pushed his hand away.

“Don’t. I don’t like how it feels.”

“Sorry, love.” Chris kissed him on the cheek.

“I know...I’m weird. I like doing it but-but I don’t like it when people do it to me.”

“Yuuri, that’s perfectly normal. What is something you do like?”

Yuuri awkwardly glanced down to his own crotch. He could feel his precum staining his boxers. Chris took the hint and began slowly sliding Yuuri’s sweatpants down. Yuuri felt self conscious in his plain black boxers. He should have worn something sexier than an old t shirt and boxers with a hole in them. Had he known he was going to have a tryst with Christophe Giacometti he would have packed his suitcase a lot differently.

“There’s beauty in simplicity,” Chris said. He really did see Yuuri all too clearly.

“Do you want my hands? Or perhaps my mouth. I’d love to see what you taste like. I bet your cum is as sweet as you are.”

Yuuri tried not to faint from shock and arousal. His idol was flirting with him and offering to give him oral sex. Yuuri didn’t remember the last time he was on the receiving end of a blowjob.

“Yuuri?” Chris broke into Yuuri’s thoughts, “Are you okay with this? I don’t want to force you into something you are uncomfortable with.”

“No! I mean, yes. Please, I’d like that a lot actually. It’s been awhile is all,” Yuuri said nervously, his face turning a brilliant red.

Chris smiled leaning closer, his breath hot against Yuuri’s cheeks. “It’s been awhile? I find that hard to believe. I bet you’ve got men eating out of the palm of your hand. From the moment I saw you, I knew I needed to get my hands on you. You’re an absolute gem. So tell me, darling, what do you want?”

Yuuri swallowed, closing his eyes and steadying his breath before answering once more. “Your mouth, I would really love to feel your mouth. On me. Uh, down there.”

Chris practically purred once Yuuri gave him his consent. Yuuri gasped as he watched Chris’ fingers hook into the waistband of his boxers, his eyes on Yuuri, waiting for any sign that this was not welcome or wanted. In a solid movement Chris removed the boxers, exposing Yuuri to the cooler air of the room.

“You really are beautiful,” Chris said with reverence.

Chris wrapped one of his hands around Yuuri’s erection. His lips ghosted along the shaft. Yuuri let out a mixture of a sigh and a squeak as he felt Chris’ tongue lave along his slit. Yuuri was leaking precum and Chris eagerly lapped it up. Nothing though compared to the feeling as Chris opened his mouth and took in Yuuri’s entire length. The wet heat that surrounded him was almost enough to have him release right there. Yuuri rarely came quickly but Chris was far more skilled than any of his previous partners. No one ever took him all at once and Chris didn’t even gag. Yuuri liked to think he was decent at blowjobs but Chris was downright proficient/

Yuuri let out another moan, his fingers twining into Chris’ hair. Yuuri watched Chris’ head bobbing in front of him, taking him all the way to his base. Chris moaned, the sound vibrating up and inside Yuuri adding to the sensation, bringing him closer to orgasm. Chris was making it really hard not cum in his mouth without warning.

Chris pulled off Yuuri with a wet sound, “Feel good, darling?”

“Gods yes,” Yuuri panted.

“You look so good right now,” Chris purred, his one hand rubbing against his erection that was now peeking above the waistband of his lingerie.

Chris pushed down the thong, He stroked his cock in time with his sucking

Yuuri felt his hips rising up to meet Chris’ mouth pushing himself deeper with each thrust,

“Chris, I’m close. ”

Chris moaned encouraging Yuuri on, his own strokes becoming quicker, matching Yuuri’s pace. Yuuri felt his fingers scrape along Chris’ scalp as his hips shuddered and he came down Chris’ throat. The Swiss man swallowing own every last drop, a few moments later Yuuri felt the heat from Chris’ release against his leg.

Chris came off of Yuuri with a wet sound, his cheek nestled against his hip and softening cock. “You were amazing. Thank you for that,” Chris said

Yuuri resisted the urge to cover his face in his hands. Christophe Giacometti’s mouth just gave Yuuri the best orgasm of his life and he was thanking him. Yuuri wondered if he somehow had cracked his head on the ice and was experiencing some kind of coma induced dream. This was something beyond his wildest dreams. How did he get so lucky?

Yuuri feltl the bed shift as Chris moved, the weight of him changing from on his hips to beside him. Warm hands firmly grasping his wrists and pulling them down.

“Are you alright, Yuuri? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you were great. Excellent, actually. I’m sorry. I’m probably being weird. It’s only that I never thought I’d get a chance to be with you like this,” Yuuri said.

.”Well, I must say that I’m honored you decided to come over.”

Chris kissed the top of yuuri’s forehead, “Don’t fret, I’m going to get us something to clean up with and then I will be back. Promise me you won’t disappear while I’m in the bathroom.”

“I promise,” Yuuri said. He was all too familiar with his partners cumming and going as they pleased. Nothing hurt more than coming out of the bathroom and being greeted by an empty bed.

True to his word Chris was back and with a wet cloth in hand. Carefully he washed down Yuuri, his movements gentle but firm. He paid particular attention to Yuuri’s legs which almost made him get hard again. Eventually Chris put back on his bathrobe while Yuuri pulled his boxers back up. They laid in bed and made light conversation until the drifted off to sleep. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nathalie knows best
> 
> Also it was really important that Chris and Yuuri part on good terms. To make it clear that this wasn't a one time thing. To show that there is potential for something more. There is a mention of yuuri having a bad sexual experience when he was younger so....yeah that can be seen as dub/noncon. In earlier drafts of this, yuuri was a borderline sex addict but that all got changed and edited out as this progressed as the story just developed differently

When he awoke the first thing Yuuri noticed was how warm he was. Chris had wrapped Yuuri in his arms at some point during the night. The feeling of Chris' chest rising and falling against his back made Yuuri feel giddy. He'd had the best sex in his life that night. Hopefully, there would be time for a repeat performance. Yuuri gently pried Chris' arms off him and went searching for his phone. Chris was courteous enough to place it on the nightstand next to his glasses. Yuuri picked them up and checked the time.

It was a quarter to ten and he had five missed calls. In two hours Yuuri was supposed to be on a plane headed back to Toronto. Nathalie was going to kill him. She was going to slit his throat with a skate blade. No doubt Klaus told her where he snuck off to. On the other hand knowing Klaus he'd probably done something far worse to earn Nathalie's wrath.

Usually Yuuri ran off before his partner awoke. There were practices to schedule and tests to study for. He felt bad about even considering leaving Chris without a word. If this was a one night stand, Yuuri wanted Chris to remember him.

Yuuri quickly threw on his clothes. The smell of sex still clung to him and honestly he couldn't care less. May the whole world know that Christophe Giacometti gave him a blowjob.

“Chris. Chris, wake up,” Yuuri whispered.

“Mhhmm, Yuuri. What's wrong, sweetheart?” Chris asked groggily. His hair was mussed and there was a drop of cum on his chin. Yuuri deeply regretted not being able to ask for a second round.

“My coach is going to kill me. I overslept. I-I have to go,” Yuuri said. “Last night was amazing. I wish...I wish we had more time. Time to, um, get to know each other.”

He didn't want Chris to think he used him for sex. Being used as a disposable sex object was the worst feeling in the world. Yuuri never wanted to subject anyone to the humiliation of being discarded once the sun came up.

Chris sat up and stretched. Yuuri was disappointed when he rubbed the tiny bit of cum away. A small voice in his head suggested that Yuuri wanted to mark his territory. To make sure that Chris belonged to him until the moment he set foot on the plane.

“Such a shame. I had plans for today. All of them involved staying in bed with you. What time is it?”

“It's 10 AM.”

“I'm guessing your flight is at noon. Everyone always tries to rush the airport first thing in the morning. Personally, I don't see the point. International flights always get delayed. You need to get going. Can't keep that adorable little rinkmate of yours waiting,” Chris said.

“JJ's a handful. He'll tear down the hotel trying to find me,” Yuuri sighed. “I had a really nice time tonight. You were, you were amazing. I know this is forward and that you're going to say no but-” he began.

“Yes, you can have my number. I'm up for a repeat performance if you are. I'll save you the trouble and put it in for you,” Chris said as he reached for Yuuri's phone. Yuuri sincerely hoped Chris would be putting things inside him in the near future.

Chris gave Yuuri a kiss on the cheek and a smack on the ass as he left the hotel room to go find the Leroys.  
***

“Where were you? We almost left you!” JJ asked. The airport was loud enough without a teenager yelling into Yuuri's ear. Thanks to his parent's sheltering him JJ was ignorant about what happened after competitions. Once he reached the senior circuit he might understand.

Yuuri was a year younger than JJ when a skater approached had dragged him off to a dark hallway to kiss him. Yuuri remembered the discomfort as the older man had grinded against him until he reached completion. That day was a great indicator of his future sexual encounters.

“Catching up with an old friend. We, uh, we marathoned _Tachibana_. He'd never watched anime before. Guess we lost track of time,” Yuuri said.

“But that's our show! You should have invited me,” JJ whined.

“I'm not sure that would have been appropriate.”

“What does that-”

“Jean-Jacques, that's enough! Yuuri, a word. Now,” Nathalie said.

Yuuri followed he as she walked towards one of the Starbucks in the terminal. He was relieved to get away from JJ's questions and terrified of what Nathalie might ask. She sat him down at one of those tiny tables with the cramped chairs.

“Before we get started, I need to know. Did you use protection?” Nathalie asked.

“Yes! Of course! We didn't do that. We just um..kissed a little,” Yuuri lied. Technically, what Chris did to him could be considered a kiss.

“Good,” Nathalie said relieved. “An STD would be far more damaging to your career than you realize. Figure skaters are expected to be wholesome and perfect. I expect you to at least pretend to be a saint. That's the key to getting more sponsors.”

“I've never caught anything. I've been pretty lucky,” Yuuri said.

“Yuuri, I'm not going to sit here and give you the safe sex talk. You're an adult and I know damn well that you're smart enough to know better. You are responsible for your own choices, especially when it comes to things like this. All I want is for you to be safe.”

“I'm sorry. I keep disappointing you,” Yuuri said teary eyed. “I'll try harder. I won't see him again if you want.”

“Haven't you been listening? Yuuri, it's time for you to make your own decisions. No one can live your life for you. Not me, not Alain, and certainly not Christophe Giacometti.”

“How did you know-”

“I'm a mother. I know everything. Wipe your face. There's no crying in figure skating.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You see this shit right here?  
> This  
> Oh fam this be a filler chapter. Is it important? Yes, it is. Was I running out of ideas ad struggling with writer's block? Yes, yes I was. But I wrote this. So take it.

“So he's your boyfriend,” Seung-gil said.

Yuuri was back in his dorm room. Seung-gil had been less than pleased at his return. On Yuuri's first day back he'd caught Seung-gil performing an act of self love that no one should be caught doing. Once Seung-gil got over his embarrassment and the two were finally able to make eye contact, they sat down for a long talk about sex and relationships. Seung-gil had only a passing experience with sex education, his fast track through his schooling led him to miss a few crucially important health classes. Yuuri was the last person who should be giving speeches on anything related to human interaction.

“No? We haven't talked about it yet,” Yuuri said. He might have been procrastinating on texting Chris. Three days had passed since he got back to Toronto, Yuuri spent most of that time trying to catch up on all his missed assignments. Professors were only lenient towards athletes who competed on behalf of the school. Professional athletes like Yuuri were subtly encouraged to drop out in favor of their careers. No time to complete a degree when sponsorship contracts needed to be renewed and medals were on the line.

“Does that make him your fuck buddy?” Seung gil asked.

“No! Where did you even learn that phrase?”

“That's what Tristan would call you. When you weren't around. I didn't like him.”

Yuuri hadn't liked him either. What kind of person gets off on choking someone? Tristan worked at what used to be Yuuri's favorite coffee shop. Now that their brief relationship was over, the staff made it clear Yuuri was no longer welcome.

“Is there someone you like?” Yuuri asked hoping to change the subject.

“Maybe,” Seung-gil said. He blushed and fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

“Who? Does he go here?”

“He spends all his time here. I don't think he's interested. Whenever we're alone all he talks about is you. Or skating. Or you and skating,” Seung-gil said.

“Are you talking about JJ?”

“No...”

“Do you want his phone number?”

“Yes.”

***

The first text from Chris came during of his Fundamentals of Human Movement midterm. Yuuri looked down from the exam he was definitely failing to see his phone displaying a winky face emoji. Yuuri quickly snuck away into the bathroom. The exam was a lost cause. Class was ending in fifteen minutes. Texting Chris was a better use of his time. Nathalie was going to throttle him when she saw his score so Yuuri wanted to enjoy his last moments on earth.

Sitting in a cramped stall Yuuri debated what the best response. His first instinct was to take a dick pic. He ignored that instinct and cursed himself for being horny at 9 AM on a Tuesday. The best idea was to keep it simple and casual.

_Yuuri: Good morning._   
**Chris G: Good afternoon, Yuuri. How are you?**   
_Yuuri: Exam season at school. Midterms don't go well with skating practice._   
**Chris G: What are you studying?**   
_Yuuri: Kinesiology. How the body moves. I've spent so much time pouring over anatomy books lol. I wanted to have a back up plan if skating didn't work out._   
**Chris G: Smart and beautiful. No wonder you skate so well. You have a deeper understanding than most. Far too many us of neglect our studies in favor of careers. My grandfather insisted I study accounting to take over the family business one day.**   
_Yuuri: I understand. My parents run a spa. One of the few left in my hometown_   
**Chris G: How luxurious. Unsurprising considering how soft your skin is.**   
_Yuuri: Lol. Not really. My feet look like a horror film._   
**Chris G: They're skater's feet and they look amazing. I can send you some suggestions for moisturizer if it really bothers you. I can ship you a few bottles of what I use.**   
_Yuuri: Thank you. I greatly appreciate at it. I have to get back to class. Can I call you later?_   
**Chris G: Call me anytime, lovely.**

Yuuri was grinning like an idiot. Last time he was this happy in a bathroom he found a gloryhole. Talking to Chris was easy and simple. He didn't have to try to impress him to keep the conversation going. Chris genuinely seemed interested in Yuuri's life. Not to mention there were things about Chris that Yuuri wasn't going to find out on any fan forum in a weird corner of the internet.

Yuuri returned to class with renewed confidence. Ten minutes was more than enough time for him to completely rewrite his essay. Crossing out what he previously wrote and he left a note instructing his professor to check the back of the exam sheet. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, these chapters are really short...anyway. This time we get Chris POV. We also get my OC Linard. Because Chris needs someone to talk and emote to. So he gets a little brother figure! Because Why Not? At this point in the story, I hit a wall with Yuuri so I switched to Chris to keep things going
> 
> also there's a joke about crispinocest and im not sorry

Chris smiled to himself as he got out of the taxi parked in front of his apartment, Yuuri was slowly opening up to him. Chris found that the Japanese skater was notoriously secretive. He barely had an online presence. Most skaters at least had a Twitter to discuss their inner most thoughts no matter how strange. Yuuri wasn't popular enough to warrant cover stories in things like _Sports Illustrated_. A majority of the articles about Yuuri were written in Japanese. Google Translate was extremely unhelpful. Chris was going to get to know him the old fashioned way. How quaint.

Elena was waiting for Chris when he opened the door. The fluffy, white cat rubbed against his legs. Chris scratched her on the top of her head in the way she loved. She purred affectionately. During the season she was more needy than usual as Chris spent more and more time away. Typically Chris gave her to Linard so she wouldn't be lonely. Now that Linard was taking his skating seriously Chris was going to have find someone else. He didn't trust pet sitting companies. No one knew how to treat Elena as the princess she was.

“Did you miss me?” Chris said.

He picked Elena up and headed to the kitchen. He was absolutely starving. He hated his dietitian with a passion. Chocolate was off limits until the season was over. Telling a Swiss man he couldn't have chocolate was like denying an American a hamburger. Opening the fridge Chris was mildly disappointed in his options. Salad, low fat yogurt, a half empty bowl of _muesli_ , salad, a plate of apple slices, and a receipt from a food truck. He needed to convince Linard to go shopping soon.

His cousin loved doing domestic chores. Strange considering they grew up with servants. Linard was going through an independent phase and wanted to break away from tradition. Which meant he was hiding out in Chris' apartment until his parents could talk some sense into him. Chris tried not to get involved in family matters but he always had a soft spot for his younger relative.

Chris took out the apples and yogurt. Ordering takeout during the week was expressly forbidden. Feeding a growing teenage boy meant he often ordered far more food than either of them needed.

“Christophe, are you home? Is that you?” Linard called from the guest room.

Linard was still wearing his pajamas when he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed the yogurt from Chris' hand, tilted his head back, and poured it into his mouth.

“You disgust me,” Chris said affectionately. “Shouldn't you be at practice?”

“Practice was cancelled. Crispino punched someone in the face for looking at his sister too long. He managed to break their nose. Blood was all over the ice. Ugh, I think this was expired,” Linard said. He tossed the bowl into a sink that was overflowing with dishes.

“Those two certainly are close. Uncomfortably so,” Chris said.

“Don't. For the love of God, don't. After this fiasco, coach will send them back to Italy. How was the photoshoot? You smell like cheap men's cologne,” Linard teased. Chris flicked him on his forehead.

Chris recently partnered with perfume company Givaudan to release his own line of men's cologne. In Bloom by Giacometti was meant to be a source of supplemental income. Chris loved his sponsors dearly but he wanted to have more control over his image. Frankly some of the things he was asked to do felt exploitative. Sex sells and Chris frequently made the list for top ten attractive athletes. Photographers enjoyed putting him in compromising positions with things either in his mouth or covering his crotch. It was fun until it wasn't.

Givaudan gave him complete control over the photo shoot down to picking the photographer. After spending two hours in makeup and three hours of being blinded by bright lights Chris was not in the mood for Linard's sass. Chris was pleased that he got to keep his clothes on for once. He elected to wearing a tuxedo instead of the robe the costuming department suggested. He kept the artificial rose crown they gave him. Elena loved getting new toys to play with.

“I talked to Yuuri today.”

“You mean the Asian guy you skipped my short program to stalk?”

“Don't be so dramatic. I missed the first few seconds.”

“It's a short program. Everyone second counts. “

“Regardless of whether I was there or not, you won. Congratulations again on your first gold medal. God willing you might actually make something of yourself.”

“How generous of you. Tell me about the boy who got bronze.”

“He's perfect. He's in university you know. Studying something complicated and unpronounceable.”

“Are you positive that's not because you can barely speak English.”

“I can and will remove you from my home.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again we pay tribute to the pagan goddess francowitch for assistance with the phone sex, She is the MVP of this fic. I love her ;w;  
> There's another obscure reference here because I think I'm funny
> 
> It was important to me to show that Chris was deeply into Yuuri as well and to get that sweet, sweet mutual pining

Chris was a firm believer in getting eight hours of beauty sleep. Rest was important when you constantly pushed your body past its limits in the name of art. He adored his silk sheets and thick comforter. Elena loved curling up by his feet. His prized bedroom possession was a life sized body pillow bearing Yuuri's image, an impulse buy off of eBay. Chris was surprised how accurate it was. Not quite as handsome as the real thing but equally soft and squishy. Chris fondness for Yuuri outweighed his need to relax after a long day of practice. This was the only reason Chris answered his phone at 3:00 AM.

“Good evening, Chris. Did I wake you up?” Yuuri asked. Like most skaters, Yuuri didn’t seem to grasp the concept of time zone differences until they experienced either jet lag or were late to competitions.

“ _Nein_. I've been awake for ages,” Chris yawned.

“How are you?”

Exhausted and horny.

Chris resisted the urge to put his hand down his pajama pants. Yuuri's voice did intriguing things to his libido.

“Fabulous. Missing you. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“I miss you too. Um...what are you wearing?” Yuuri asked nervously.

Chris bit back a chuckle. Yuuri was adorable. He must have been new to phone sex. Unsurprising considering how timid he was in bed. Yuuri’s hesitation was refreshing, far too often Chris answered the phone to someone already furiously jacking off needing him to help them go over the edge. He vaguely remembered Yuuri mentioning he had a younger roommate.Chris didn’t think Yuuri was an exhibitionist but you never knew with the quiet ones.

“Where’s your boy?” Chris internally groaned by his choice of phrasing.

“Which one? JJ and Seung-gil are on a date. They won’t be back until after midnight. JJ entered them into a karaoke contest at Cumberland House,”Yuuri replied.

“Who’s house? Are you certain it’s safe for two teenagers to roam a college campus in the middle of the night?”

Linard was so prone to wandering that Chris had taken to obsessively monitoring his cousin’s Twitter feed to figure out where in the world the boy was. Chris had come home from Beijing once to find a note saying Linard was spending the weekend and Paris and not to worry about Elena because he took her with him. The young couple were not Yuuri’s responsibility but Chris doubted he’d be so irresponsible.

“The center for international students. It’s a community event so there won’t be alcohol, campus security will give them a ride back. Everything’s perfectly safe. Nathalie would kill me if anything happened to JJ,” Yuuri said. Chris could hear the dread in his voice.

“Since the boys are away, I do believe that it’s time for the adult’s to play. Would you like me to take the lead, darling?”

“Am I that bad at this?” Yuuri asked in a low voice.

“Not necessarily. You do sound a bit nervous,” Chris thought of his next words carefully, “We don’t have to do this if you aren’t up for it.”

“No, I’d like to. Especially with someone like you who..Last time it felt like he just wanted me to listen to him masturbate more than anything. He hung up once he finished. Never called me again,” Yuuri sighed.

“Oh you poor thing. Do not despair, my dear. I know that song and dance all too well. You need not worry. I’ll take care of you, Yuuri. I promise.” Chris wanted to ask him a thousand questions about his past lovers. Later. He would ask later. All that mattered right now was proving he was better than all that came before him.

“...what do we do first?”

“Tell me what you want. What do you do with me, Yuuri. I’m at your mercy, ”Chris purred.

Chris listened to Yuuri take a deep and shaky breath

“I want to sit in your lap and straddle you,” Yuuri said.

“I can only imagine what it feels like to have those plump thighs wrapped around my waist.What happens next?”

“I lean in,” Yuuri hesitated a moment, “I give you a kiss and lick your lip.”

“Mmmm,” Chris sighed, “I pull you in closer, exploring your mouth with my tongue.”

Yuuri continued feeling slightly bolder, “I run my fingers along the hem of your shirt, drawing it up and over your head.”

Christophe palmed the front of his sleep pants, his cock thickening as Yuuri continued. “Sounds good love, now I am just in my sleep pants, you know the ones.”

“I grind down against you,” Yuuri spoke quietly into the receiver.

“Do you bring any of those lovely robes from your parent’s spa with you to Canada?”

“It's called a yukata and they run an onsen!” Yuuri chuckled lightly,

“Ah, so they named it after you. I pull that open to reveal that perfect

“Ahh, yes. I pull open the front exposing your perfect skin. And kiss along your neck marking every inch of skin that I can reach.” Chris could hear Yuuri’s breathing pick up,

“Do you feel that love, darling? My hand moves down to your waist, slipping into the folds of the sash. Next I slowly open up the fabric,” Chris said. He slipped out of his pants as his cock began to harden. He wrapped his hand around the length and began slowly stroking himself.

“I’m kissing my way down your neck and along your skin. I drop to my knees and run my tongue down those gorgeous legs off yours. I start at your ankle and trace my way up those plump thighs..”

Christophe bit his lip as he listened to the hitch in Yuuri’s breath and the sound of Yuuri pulling down his boxers. He imagined his lover laid out on the bed panting and begging him for more.

“Want more, darling?”

“Oh gods yes,” Yuuri moaned.

  
*****  
Although Chris didn’t want to jump to any premature conclusions, he had a feeling that sex with Yuuri was always going to be good. There was something about Yuuri’s gentle sensuality that appealed to him. At first glance Yuuri was a blushing virgin, an insecure boy who would be easy to bed and discard without a second thought. Chris had a feeling that Yuuri had more to bring to the table than a one night stand and the Japanese skater was proving him right so far.

Chris patiently waited for Yuuri to tidy himself up before they continued their conversation. Another thing that made Yuuri stand out from his previous partners was that he genuinely enjoyed talking to him.

“I’m back. I um got more on myself than usual. It’s been awhile since I’ve had any alone time. I texted JJ and they should be back soon. I’m...really happy we got to do that,” Yuuri said in that shy, sweet way of his.

“It was fantastic. You are fantastic. Tell me, what lies in store for my beloved Yuuri Katsuki?” Chris asked.

“A good night’s sleep before Nathalie destroys me at training tomorrow morning. The Hetap Valentine’s Day True Love Cup is right around the corner. Are you going to be there? For your cousin, I mean,” Yuuri added hastily. Chris could tell he didn’t want to come across as clingy. Precious thing.

“Linard won’t be participating as he failed to qualify. Honestly, that coach of his garbage. He would do well under someone like the Leroys. Nonetheless, I will be attending. Georgi’s competing and I haven’t seen him in ages.”

“Georgi? As in Georgi Popovich? You know him? I mean, of course you know him. I never thought you were friends or anything.”

Chris felt the need to clarify so Yuuri didn’t get discouraged. Chris and Georgi were something of rivals in their junior years. Over the years, their mutual hatred had mellowed into a love-hate friendship. Most of the time they respected and admired each other’s abilities. The rest of the time Chris was teasing Georgi about being a hopeless romantic and Georgi was taunting Chris about his tendency to get hard during his own performances.

“Georgi and I are close but we aren’t attached at the hip. He likes his women blonde with breasts bigger than Putin’s forehead. We’re just friends and nothing more. You don’t have to worry about him stealing me from you,” Chris said.

“That’s good I-Oh, hi Seung-gil. Where’s JJ? He did what? Tell me he’s not drunk. If he’s not drunk then why is he in a cowboy hat?. Chris, I have to go. Sorry, I need to make sure JJ didn’t do something stupid.”

“Good luck, Yuuri. If you ever need advice on babysitting teenage boys I’ll be more than happy to give you some tips.”

Chris smiled as Yuuri disconnected. He couldn’t wait to tell Georgi about him. Georgi was the expert in all things love, he would know the best way for Chris to proceed. Seeing his friend compete against his love was the things that wet dreams were made of. Yuuri didn’t seem the type to be into threesomes. Georgi could be convinced if he found the person attractive enough. Maybe one day. Chris didn’t want to push Yuuri too far for asking something so outrageous on what Chris was going to consider their second date.

A day with Georgi and an evening with Yuuri. He thought that would be the best way to celebrate his upcoming birthday.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this episode of "Para struggles to write her first bang", we have Georgi make his one cameo and takes this chance to make his mark in history before vanishing. I swear he would have had an extended role if I was better at pacing and longfic but he's here long enough to make his presence count
> 
> also there's another crispinocest joke
> 
> ....what?

“Go easy on him, _Gosha_. I actually like this one,” Chris said, watching Georgi apply eyeliner. He was sitting on the edge of the tub in the bathroom of Georgi’s hotel room. Chris’ birthday and the Hetap Cup was the following morning. He had come to Turin to watch his best friend and lover face off into what was essentially a glorified ad campaign masquerading as a sporting event. Georgi was currently enjoying his position as the top male figure skater in the singles category, a position that Chris briefly held before deciding to take time off for his perfume line.

Originally, the plan was for Chris and Georgi to stay in and have a nice heart to heart. After thirty minutes of sitting in awkward silence in Georgi’s hotel room, they decided a trip to the hotel local bar was in order. One doesn’t bear their heart to a Russian without a few shots of vodka in a poorly lit bar. They couldn’t go downstairs without looking their best. They were practically skating royalty, the Rose of Switzerland and the Witch Prince of Russia.

“Christophe, you know better than that. You underestimate him. I saw Katsuki in Geneva. He might have taken silver if he were more confident. I'm surprised Linard managed to get gold considering how disgustingly incompetent his coach is. Cialdini is a joke. Have you heard what they say about those twins?” Georgi asked.

“That they fu-”

“Don’t be disgusting. No, they say the Crispinos are his bastards, Personally, I can’t say I see much of a resemblance. I do agree that the theme of forbidden love is a recurring rumor surrounding those two. I’ve always believed that love can surpass any obstacle. However, the less said about those two the better. Pass me my blush. I look paler than Lilia,” Georgi said.

“How is your godmother?” Chris asked handing his friend the makeup palette.

“Beautiful and inspiring as always. She and Yakov are celebrating their anniversary next month. I can only pray I find someone who wants to spend the rest of their life with them. I thought Mila and I had something but she left me for a hockey player,” Georgi sighed. “My face is as show ready as it’s going to get I suppose. Let’s go. I’ll do you a favor and pay for the first round.”

The two made their way to the hotel bar, careful to avoid the other competitors. Chris thought that he spied the Leroy boy and Yuuri’s roommate making their way towards the elevators and elected to take the stairs. Wherever there is a cub, a mother bear is close behind. Chris wasn’t sure how Nathalie Leroy felt about him seducing one of her charges and he didn’t want to find out. It was a shame really. JJ and Linard would get along so well. His cousin was off visiting Chris’ aunt and uncle. They were still trying to convince their youngest son to come home and give up skating. Judging by how Linard’s season was starting to play out, he couldn’t blame them. Linard had started strong, yet now he was struggling to make the podium as Cialdini spent more and more time trying to turn Michele Crispino from a third rate skater into an Olympic hopeful. He wondered if the Leroy’s had any open spots for the next season.

!***

“He’s gorgeous, _Gosha_. His tongue is a gift from the heavens,” Chris slurred. He did not know why he thought outdrinking Georgi was possible. He shouldn’t have gone to the bar dehydrated and hungry. Now he was nursing a cup of water while eating oysters and calamari to sober up. Chris read somewhere once that oysters were an aphrodisiac. Were he not straddling the fine line between drunk and tipsy, Chris wouldn’t hesitate texting Yuuri for his room number. Last he checked, Yuuri was sound asleep and wouldn’t be leaving his hotel room until the morning of the competition. He wasn't completely ruling out the possibility of engaging in some birthday sex but he wanted to give the Japanese skater some space.

“The nipple fetish is a bit strange-” Georgi began.

“You take that back. It’s sexy,” Chris said.

“To each his own. You sound like you’re positively smitten. Almost as if you’re considering getting serious with him. What exactly do you want from him? Aside from sex, that is.”

“I want to be with him and not in the biblical way. I think I want to actually date Yuuri. We live halfway across the world from each other and I still want him. I want to listen to him talk about his classes, his practice, and even those two boys who follow him around like ducklings. Last week, we had phone sex and he fell asleep after he came and I just...listened. I listened to him snoring and it was the most calming thing I’ve ever heard. I feel like I’m going insane, Gosha. I feel like I finally understand you.”

“Oh Christophe, I’m so happy for you. After all these years you’ve finally found that special someone. Be honest with me. Do you love him?”

“I do.”

“What are you going to do about it?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter. Good goddess almighty, this chapter. I want to pretend its deep and dramatic but I'm terrified it comes off as cheapy, corny and melodramatic. This was supposed to be the emotional core of the fic and I really hope y'all like it because I honestly did my absolute best.

Yuuri was nervous. For once, he had many reasons to be. This would be his second competition since he chose to leave his comfortable, safe life in Japan behind to pursue his dreams. He missed out on spending Christmas with his family for a chance to embarrass himself on international television. His parents were hosting a viewing party and every person Yuuri ever met in his entire life was going to be there. Yuuri was supposed to be the pride of his home country and he was pretty sure he had forgotten to brush his teeth that morning.

Aside from performing in front of a larger, more judgemental audience, there were other things to consider. He was competing against Georgi Popovich, reigning champion and one of his idols. Georgi’s eyeliners and skates were sharp enough to kill a man. Yuuri was certain he would be one of many casualties that day. Georgi was going to be skating to Swan Lake and modeled his costume after the treacherous Odile. Yuuri knew that Chris was in audience and while the Swiss skater had promised to root for both of them Yuuri couldn’t ignore the way he looked at Georgi in that black feathered costume of his. JJ let it slip that he saw Chris and Georgi headed out together after leaving Georgi’s room. Yuuri had no reason to feel jealous, Chris didn’t belong to him.

Not yet anyway.

Yuuri watched Georgi’s performance and tried not to feel intimidated. He was unnaturally graceful in that lifeless, robotic way all Russian skaters were. Yuuri was less focused on his opponent and more interested in the way that Chris eyes followed Georgi through every step, jump, and spin.

“Focus, Katsuki. This is skating not high school. You want to fight Popovich over some boy than do it on the ice. Stop glaring at him before the cameras notice,” Nathalie warned as Georgi’s score was announced. It was high as expected and his coach Yakov Feltsman looked smug as usual. Yakov and Nathalie had something of a rivalry stemming from some incident in an Olympic village over a decade ago. Both Yuuri and Nathalie were equally committed to him beating the Russian champion.

“Have you figured out why you skate or are you going to go out there and embarrass me?” Nathalie asked.

Yuuri was next up and his performance anxiety was rearing its ugly head. He struggled with unzipping his tracksuit and for the life of him he couldn't remember how to lace his skates. Alain eventually took pity on him and did it for him. Yuuri was not doing much to inspire confidence in his abilities.

“Well, Katsuki? Do you know what you’re going to do once the music starts?” Nathalie asked. They were calling his name. It was almost time for him to step on to the ice.

Yuuri thought of the story of Swan Lake. The black swan Odile used dark magic to steal Prince Siegfried from his true love, the white swan Odette. In his white and blue costume, Yuuri could assume the role of Odette. Odile was trying to steal his prince away and he wasn’t going to let that happen.

“The black swan of Russia has stolen something from me and I’m going to take it back,” Yuuri said.

Yuuri stepped on to the ice. All eyes were on him. He made contact with a pair of emerald eyes in the audience and blew a kiss. The music started and he lost himself in it. He was a swan prince flying among the clouds. He was the endless sky and the gentle wind. Yuuri was soaring ever higher and higher and no one was going to bring him down. He finished his program to the sound of thunderous applause. He bowed as his fans threw various pieces of Sanrio merchandise on the ice. He scooped up a Pochacco plushie and made his way back to rinkside.

“Mon chou, you were fantastic! Your best performance of the year!” Nathalie gave Yuuri a kiss on the forehead. “You aren’t completely hopeless after all.”

Alain gave Yuuri a hug. He was fairly sure he heard JJ and Seung-gil cheering from somewhere in the stands. They went to the kiss and cry to see his scores announced. Yuuri prayed to a God he didn’t believe in that he at least came close to Georgi’s score.

“I’m in the lead?!” Yuuri shouted. He couldn’t see very well without his glasses yet he was pretty sure he was beating Georgi by four points. Nathalie hugged him. She was never going to let Feltsman live it down that her new pet project beat his golden boy in the short program.

“We’re so proud of you,” Alain said.

Yuuri and his coaches were making their way backstage for the post-performance interview. The press were eager to meet the mysterious newcomer from Japan. Yuuri’s sponsors were going to be ecstatic that he wasn’t wasting their money. Maybe Sanrio could send him some free merchandise so he didn’t blow his winnings on more Hello Kitty bedsheets with matching shower curtain.

Yuuri was surprised to find Chris waiting for him backstage among the associated members of the press. Chris rushed to his side with tears in his yes.

“Yuuri, you were so beautiful out there. Like something out a dream. Darling, you truly are a diamond that outshines all others,” Chris said, pulling Yuuri into a hug.

Yuuri was so surprised by Chris sudden embrace that he almost didn’t notice the amount of flashing cameras surrounding them. He hadn’t told anyone back in Hasetsu about Chris and he wasn't sure if he was ready for the rest of the world to know about their connection to each other. Thankfully, Nathalie was there to save him from any scandals.

“Take it somewhere private. I expect you back here in five minutes, Yuuri,” Nathalie said as she shooed them away from onlookers. “Giacometti, if you do anything to my student I will castrate you with a toepick.”

Chris and Yuuri were eventually able to find a deserted hallway. Chris hadn’t let go of Yuuri’s hand the entire time. His hands were warm and large and Yuuri wanted them all over him. He mentally reminded himself that no one likes a needy, clingy...what exactly was he to Chris? They fooled around but they didn’t qualify them as lovers. In Yuuri’s experiencing not even sleeping with someone a few times classified you as their lover. Or fuckbuddy. Why did he always think about that type of stuff around Chris? He thought about how terrible his past relationships were and how much he hoped that things with Chris were different. He needed things to be different.

“Did you like my performance?” Yuuri asked nervously.

“Yuuri, you were a marvel out there. You were so beautiful, so untouchable. The more time I spend with you, the more you put me under your spell. I’m so happy we met,” Chris said. He placed a gentle kiss on Yuuri’s knuckles.

“I didn’t do anything special. Compared to Georgi-”

“No one can compare to you, darling. No one can do the things that you can. The way you are is what made me fall in love with you. I love you, Yuuri Katsuki. I love you more than anything in this world.”

Yuuri would have screamed if his throat wasn’t drier than a desert. He felt like the world had ended and began all at once. Since he was a child he had loved Chris. Loved the way he skated, the way he always knew what to do and say. All he ever wanted to do was meet Chris, to skate on the same ice. Yet here he was, eighteen years old listening to the man he admired from afar tell him that he was wanted, that he was loved. Yuuri’s lovers told him many things over the years. None of them had ever said they loved him.

Chris noticed the blank stare Yuuri was giving him. He gave Yuuri a sympathetic smile.

“You don’t have to say it back. You don’t owe me anything. I only wanted to let you know how I feel,” Chris said. He began to walk away. The first man to tell Yuuri he was loved and he was letting him leave. As Yuuri watched his retreating back, he knew that he had to say something, anything to make Chris stay.

“Wait! Me too! I love you, too! I...I’ve always loved you. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted to be with you. I’m sorry. I’m not good at this. I never thought that someone like you could care about someone like me. Or that anyone would. Please, don’t leave,” Yuuri said.

Chris walked back to him and enveloped Yuuri in his arms. Yuuri pressed his head against Chris’ broad chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. Chris smelled like roses and vanilla the same way he did during their first and only time together. It was a smell that Yuuri would never forget. Yuuri was clinging to him like frightened child. He had made many mistakes in his life but he would never forgive himself if he let Chris slip away.

“Please don’t leave me,” Yuuri whispered. “I know I’m not worth it but I want you to stay.”

“I’ll be here as long as you want me. As long as you need.You are worthy of being loved,” Chris said.

“I’m really not. I don’t deserve you ” Yuuri sobbed.

“You deserve everything.” Chris countered, “Now, let’s go clean of your face and get back to the others before Nathalie neuters me.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is another obscure and probs confusing af reference for some ppl  
> Oh look JJ and Seung are back  
> And Chris gets a bit of a backstory. Fun fact, when I wrote this I finally realized that Chris was only 20...not 27-28. Then I had a small breakdown and almost threw my damn laptop out the window because jfc thats a big af continuity error but the point is that I just kept on keeping on and have you seriously read all these chapter notes?

“How do I look?” Yuuri asked as he stood before the bathroom mirror.

“You look extra classy. Swiss Chris won’t be able to resist,” JJ said laughing at his own joke. He sat on the edge of the bathtub and was thoroughly enjoying his rinkmate’s discomfort.

They were in Yuuri’s hotel room preparing for Yuuri to go out for dinner with Chris. In actuality Yuuri was questioning his fashion choices, JJ was running commentary, and Seung-gil was lying in the empty bathtub reading a book. Seung-gil’s aunt allowed him to tag along with his roommate and boyfriend as she believed it would be a good learning experience.Yuuri was secretly glad that Seung-gil came as it meant JJ wasn’t following him everywhere. Nathalie made it clear that the teens were to stay in the hotel during the night so Yuuri was saved the prospect of a double date. It was Chris’ birthday and he wanted it to be special.

He didn’t feel particularly special in his black dress pants and navy polo shirt. Chris was not doubt going to take them to some place fancy but Yuuri’s suit was strictly for interviews.Yuuri ditched his glasses for his contacts and slicked his hair back in the same style he wore on the ice. He wasn’t unattractive, at least not by his admittedly low standards. He groaned thinking about how grossly out of place he was going to look beside Chris.

“This is a mistake. What am I doing?” Yuuri sighed.

“You’re going out to get some dick!” JJ said cheerfully clapping his hands together.

“JJ! Watch your mouth. Your mother would kill both of us she heard you talking like that,” Yuuri replied. God, he was such a bad role model. Hanging out with teenagers was fine since he was only eighteen. Once he hit twenty-one he was definitely going to have to spend less time with JJ and Seung-gil. There was word for older skaters who spent too much time with their younger counterparts. The only solace was that JJ sticking to Yuuri like glue didn’t leave many opportunities for someone to take advantage of him.

“He’s right,” Seung-gil observed as he turned a page. “Giacometti has a reputation. I heard the other skaters talking after you two vanished. Apparently, they thought you were giving him a blowjob in the lockers or something. Skaters gossip more than the girls at school. I don’t know how you can stand it. You stopped going to Neo Coffee Bar after that thing with Tristan.”

Yuuri mused that Seung-gil had gotten a lot more talkative since he started dating JJ. For the first time he wished that the Korean would mind his own business. Yes, he had stopped going to his favorite coffee shop because he was dumb enough to date an employee and now the staff was spreading rumors about Yuuri. There were plenty of other places that sold coffee and Yuuri wasn’t friends with enough people on campus for the rumors to affect his social life. Dating Chris was an ordeal in itself. Chris was high profile due to his ranking in their division. Add in the fact that Chris had more ex lovers than Yuuri had Pochacco charms and you had a recipe for disaster.

Chris said he loved him.

Did he say that to every man he slept with?

“Chris is different,” Yuuri said. He wasn’t sure who was trying to convince. “I probably won’t be back until morning so I expect you to behave. Seung-gil is in charge. JJ, don’t give me that look last time I left you alone you glued your hand to your hair.”

“Understood.”

“I thought it was hair gel!”

 

***

The taxi ride to the restaurant was spent in silence. Yuuri pretended he was staying quiet because he was too excited to speak, that certainly seemed to be the case with Chris. The Swiss skater sat in the backseat gripping his hand tightly. It felt oddly reassuring. Chris could spend his birthday with anyone in the world and he chose Yuuri. He should feel honored instead of anxious.

Finding a restaurant for a date on Valentine’s Day was an impressive feat. Before they left the hotel Chris promised that they wouldn’t be going anywhere too expensive or fancy. He sounded mildly disappointed that the best place he could find was a sushi restaurant suggested to him by one of the bellhops. Yuuri wasn’t fond of Italian food anyway.

Chris held the door open for him when they reached Shari Fusion Restaurant. It was a quaint eatery with the seating being more suited for large groups rather than couples. Yuuri’s Italian was worse than his English so he let Chris do the talking.

“I didn’t know you spoke Italian,” Yuuri said after they were seated at one of the smaller booths. “That was French, darling. Don’t tell anyone but my family actually hails from the German side of Switzerland. Some of the best advice I ever got was that I needed to learn French. It’s the language of love and sponsors don’t tend to find German very sexy,” Chris said.

Yuuri thought back to all the interviews of Chris that featured him peppering in French phrases. Yuuri wondered what other things he assumed about Chris that were false. To a certain degree all skaters adopted a persona on the ice. There were the charming and sexy types like Chris, the dark and mysterious types like Georgi. Even JJ’s overconfident attitude had garnered him fans and a sponsorship from a teen clothing brand. Yuuri wasn’t sure what his persona was. He didn’t exactly stand out among the more vibrant, distinct personalities of his peers.

“Where are my manners? Tonight should be about you.Oh, I want to learn everything about my Yuuri. You so rarely do interviews that I’m looking forward to getting to know the man behind the breathtaking performances. Please tell me about yourself,” Chris said.

“There’s really not much to say. I’m just a dime a dozen skater from Japan,” Yuuri mumbled.

“I respectfully disagree, my dear. Have you heard what they’ve started calling you?”

“A national embarrassment?” Yuuri asked half joking, half seriously. How bad was his publicity that it had managed to reach Europe?

“I believe your current title is The Ace of Japan. A few competitions into your training with the Leroys and everyone can already see the difference. You seem more confident and focused. There’s a sense of consistency that wasn’t there before,” Chris said.

“It makes sense. I was always going from coach to coach. My parents couldn’t afford the best. I wasn’t good enough to make them stay. When I was getting ready to graduate high school, I wanted to go to Tokyo to train under Odagaki. She let me tryout for her. She said I lacked flair and declined to take me on. I think it was for the best. Toronto and the Leroys ended up being a lot cheaper.”

“Good coaches are hard to find. You can hardly blame yourself. Some of the most talented skaters fall by the wayside because they can’t find the right team to back them, not to mention the various costs associated. A ripped costumer or a twisted ankle can make or break someone. The day my parents cut me off was the day I almost quit skating.”

“You almost quit? When?”

“A few years ago. My parents said I was getting to old for such a childish ‘hobby.’ My family owns an large accounting firm and wanted me to become an actuary or something equally boring. Of course my family would be stereotypical and be involved in banking. Forgive me, I’m getting off track. The short version was that I was expected to give up skating so that I would have more time to do whatever my parents told me. We fought, I left. I was a homeless, penniless teenager roaming the streets of Zurich in a huff with no clue of what to do. It’s not a period of my life I think of fondly,” Chris said.

Yuuri was silent. He scanned his memory for a time when Chris had disappeared from the skating scene. He was sure he would have noticed if Chris suddenly stopped coming to competitions.

“Was that the year you almost skipped the Olympics?!” Yuuri shouted. A few couples from other tables turned to stare. Yuuri wanted to die of embarrassment. Chris didn’t seem phased. He merely smiled and waved for the waiter to come take their orders. Chris insisted on paying so Yuuri decided to indulge himself and order tempura. He always craved deep fried foods when he was nervous. Deviating from Alain’s diet plan for a single night wouldn’t be the end of the world. Yuuri did decline Chris’ offer to order a bottle of sake. Drinking on a date was always a recipe for disaster for Yuuri.

  
“To answer your question is was,” Chris said after the waiter left. “I could barely afford a meal let alone a plane ticket to Oslo. I was sleeping on my coach’s couch and borrowed my skating outfit from one of his ex-students. Luckily, the Capsule Corporation decided to sponsor me at the very last second. One of their spokespeople got arrested for drug trafficking so they needed a last minute replacement.”

Yuuri vividly remembered when Nagisa Hazuki became a national embarrassment for using the Olympics as a front to smuggle cocaine out of Asia and into Europe. The Japanese media had been so absorbed in watching one of its top athletes get involved into a national scandal that rumors of Chris sitting out the Olympics were quickly forgotten. That had been an odd winter.

“I had no idea you were going through so much back then,” Yuuri said.

“It was difficult but I managed. I learned that I had to take care of myself. You always have to be proactive when it comes to getting what you want. Have you ever been in that type of situation, Yuuri?”

“Yes, actually. I left my family, my home. Everything I ever knew, just so I could keep skating. I still don’t know if I made the right choice. I have four years of school left. My contract with the Leroys is only until the end of the season. I don’t have the slightest idea of what to do after August.”

  
“You still have plenty of time to figure things out. I wouldn’t worry about the contract so much. Nathalie’s got an eye for talent and I doubt she’d let you go over something so trivial as money. Talk to her about your concerns. Communication is extremely important for things like this. I told my coach I didn’t have a dime to my name and he let me mooch of him for half a season. If Nathalie cares about you, which I know she does, she’ll cut you some slack. Good, caring coaches are hard to find. Thank the ice gods you aren’t stuck with a washout like Cialdini. The day I convince Linard to drop him will be day of celebration.”

“I’ll talk to Nathalie. If you want, I could ask if she has any suggestions for who should coach your cousin.”

“I’d be eternally in your debt .”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Squeeze for helping fix all the jacked up grammar and writing in this chapter because this was a minefield of typos
> 
> oh look its the second to last chapter

The taxi ride back to the hotel stood in stark contrast to their earlier trip. Yuuri had drunk one too many glasses of wine and was having trouble keeping his hands to himself. He was in a beautiful city with a beautiful man who loved him. Yuuri was practically sitting in Chris’ lap when they finally pulled up to their location. He tasted like wine and sin and Yuuri wanted to devour him. Together they managed to get into the hotel without attracting too much attention. Yuuri was sure he spotted Klaus heading out with their fellow competitors and gave a half hearted greeting as they passed each other in the hall.

“Carry me to your room,” Yuuri whispered as they stepped into the elevator. He wrapped his arms around Chris’ neck. The older man didn’t hesitate to scoop Yuuri into his arms. Yuuri laughed as Chris bridal carried him into his suite. Yuuri felt like a princess as Chris gently laid him on the bed.

“My dear, I do believe you are quite inebriated,” Chris said fondly.

“ I don’t drink often so it doesn’t take much. Not supposed to drink at competitions so don’t tell Nathalie.” Yuuri brought a finger to his lips and shushed Chris.

“While I wouldn’t mind ending the night with a round of birthday sex, I do believe you are bit too far under the influence for me to feel comfortable ravishing you,” Chris said.

A man who didn’t want to sleep with him when he was drunk? Chris continued to surprise Yuuri. Or rather, he continued to show Yuuri how lacking his previous partners were. How many times did he awake hungover and alone? Yuuri wanted Chris. Badly. But he also wanted to take a long nap. He reached his arms in the air and made grabbing motions. Chris took the hint and crawled into bed with him. Chris wrapped himself around Yuuri and kissed his foreheads.

“We should probably shower at some point, love,” Chris said.

“Bath later, cuddles now please. You smell good. Like roses.”

“ _In Bloom by Giacometti_. It hits shelves in July. I can get you a few bottles of it before it goes to market.”

“I’d like that. I could carry a little bit of you with me. So even when we’re apart, we can be together.”

“Oh, Yuuri. I’ve finally got you and I don’t plan on letting go anytime soon. Rest, my darling. You have a long day ahead of you. Tomorrow you take home on a gold medal for everyone back in Hasetsu. I know you’re going to make them proud. You-Yuuri?”

Yuuri was sound asleep in Chris’ arms.

***  
Chris awoke from dreams of Olympic gold to the sound of pounding on his hotel room door. Yuuri was still fast asleep and hogging the blankets. He looked adorable cocooned in the blankets and snoring lightly. Chris decided his lover must have been a heavy sleeper as the urgent knocking didn’t seem to rouse him. Chris glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was a few minutes past noon. The long program was going to be held in three hours and Yuuri was unconscious in his hotel room. Chris steeled himself before answering. He knew he was about to get chewed out within an inch of his life by the Mother Bear of Canada.

“Nathalie, how are you doing this morning?” Chris said as he opened the door a crack. If looks could kill he would be a dead man. Nathalie was staring at him with the same fury as when his dietician found his hidden stash of Toblerones.

“Where is Yuuri?” Nathalie asked.

“Yuuri’s in dreamland. I’d hate to wake him. Can we do this outside? I won’t bite if you won’t.”

“Fine. Let’s make this quick. Thanks to you, we’re running behind schedule.”

Chris stepped outside and softly closed the door behind him. He wasn’t so clueless as to not understand the importance of this impromptu hallway meeting. Like the rest of the figure skating world, Nathalie had a certain image in mind when it came to Chris. The flirt, the playboy, the fool who took a year off skating to sell cologne. She probably thought he wasn’t worthy of Yuuri. Chris knew his own intentions and didn’t think he was worthy of Yuuri either. He needed to prove to her that Yuuri was more to him then a quick lay. Skaters hooked up and broke up and married and divorced with the same frequency as other athletes. Chris was looking for something more permanent than a spring fling that ended when the season came to a close. If he played his cards right then he was going to be seeing a lot of Nathalie in the future. First impressions were everything.

“Nathalie, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of things about me. A lot of them are probably true. What else is true is that I am helplessly in love with your student. He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met. I have no idea what I was doing with my life before I met Yuuri Katsuki but I do know I want to spend the rest of it with him in any way I can,” Chris said.

Nathalie regarded him for a moment. She looked entirely unconvinced. Well, the point was he made an effort. Hopefully, Nathalie wasn’t so controlling that she felt the need to micromanage her student’s lovelife.

“You admit you’re one of the biggest manwhores in the single’s division and you expect me to believe that you’re in love with Yuuri?”

“Stranger things have happened, Mrs. Leroy. I won’t pretend I haven’t earned my reputation a thousand times over. All I request is that you give me a chance to prove myself to you.”

“You want me to give you a fair shot? Have Yuuri at the rink within the next thirty minutes fully dressed and ready for warm ups. Rest assured Giacometti, if you hurt him in any way I will do everything to make sure that next season will be your last. Do not keep me waiting.”

Nathalie turned on her heel and left Chris in her wake. He was glad that Yuuri had someone who cared about him so deeply in his corner. He was also mildly terrified and fully believed Nathalie would find a way to ruin him if he ever broke Yuuri’s heart. Hell hath no fury like a figure skating mom.

Chris went back to rouse Yuuri from his slumber.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *nervous laughter*
> 
> You see what happened was....so I was running out of both time and ideas. I did try to make the grande finale chapter longer and flirted with adding an epilogue to pad this out. However, the more I thought about it, this chapter works pretty decent as a close. This was my longest work to date and it damn near killed me. I am not joking. The word limit of this bang was just low enough that I was able to crawl to the finish.
> 
>  
> 
> So
> 
> Now that this thing s over
> 
> Please comment and kudos and tell me how you liked it

Yuuri stood at the rinkside and waited for his name to be called, he took a moment to reflect on the novelty of his situation. He was in Italy about to compete in an international figure skating event on live television. Last night he ate sushi with his Swiss lover and this morning he went over his long program with his Canadian coach. He was a freshman at the University of Toronto and the Ace of Japan. He was a boy from a backwater town in which nearly all the hot springs had run dry.

He had no idea what he was doing or how he got there.

At that moment he truly understood what it meant to be an adult.

Isn’t that what he was? A grown man who needed to take charge of his life? Mari told him that he would have to look after himself once he left Japan. Nathalie told him that he was responsible for his choices. Chris told him that he needed to be true to himself. So who was he and what was he going to do?

Why did he skate?

“Have you figured it out yet, Katsuki?” Nathalie asked as the announcer called for him to take his turn in the limelight.

He wanted to tell her no, he hadn’t and could she do him a big favor and get him the hell out of here? Yuuri took a deep breath and stepped out on the ice. Of all the times to have an existential crisis he chose to do it when the world was quite literally watching his every move. There was always a five second delay before the music started and the performance began. Five seconds to figure out his purpose in life. To understand the reason he skated.

Five.

He loved skating. Always had and he always will. The ice was the first place he felt at home. The first time he felt good at something. A place where he always felt wanted.

Four.

He was decent at skating. No, he was good. Screw modesty he was great at it. He was one of Japan’s favored sons and he needed to embrace it. Yuuri doubted he was going to be bring home any Olympic medals but he was going to take as much gold for his county as he could.

Three.

His family believed in him. His parents who spent money they didn’t have so Yuuri could pursue a dream he couldn’t fully commit to. His father never let him look at the accounting books, Yuuri was smart enough to know the math didn’t add up. The inn was struggling to make ends meet yet he was standing in a custom made costume that was worth nearly ninety thousand yen. His mother still held viewing parties for each of his competitions and was kind enough not to charge for admission. Mari who helped him navigate immigration forms and apply for scholarships. His family were on the other side of the world and in his heart always.

  
Two.

Chris. Beautiful, loving Chris who he watched from afar for so very long. He came to Yuuri offering love and compassion when so many others had only offered sex. Chris who was the first man to tell Yuuri he was loved. Chris loved him and didn’t even ask to be loved in return. This was only the very beginning of their relationship, they still had so much time to get to know each other and grow together. He was in love with Chris and wasn’t that beautifully terrifying?

One.

He was out of time. He needed an answer.

Why did he skate?

There were many reasons. It defined who he was. He skated because he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. This was his life. He was going to live it. Yuuri was going to stop getting in his own way and learn to love his crazy, wonderful rollercoaster of a life. Yuuri was going to learn to love himself.

The music started and he took the first steps toward his future.

 


End file.
